More than 106,000 CVs have been saved on the data base of a supermarket chain, while the management does not expect to offer more than 20 job vacancies during the next months. This reality captures the agony of thousands of young people trying to get a job. Any job. Irrespectively of education and skills required or offered salary.

Young men and women, with university degree and post graduate diplomas with foreign language and other skills desperately seek a job even part-time, even for less than 400-500 euro per month. Even without insurance.

“It’s not uncommon to get 1,500 resumes for a single job vacancy,” official from a private job centre told Sunday newspaper Real News.

Maria*, 27, a postgraduate on Economics, cannot even remember anymore to which company she sent her CV. She had been looking for a job in the last three years. “I must have sent more than 400 resumes,” she told KTG, “hardly got any answer.” She even thought to move to another Greek town, although the offered wage (500 euro gross) would not allow her to pay rent and utilities. Maria considers to move abroad although, she has no connections at all outside the country and her foreign language skills are not the best.

60% of the country’s youth is without a job. Businesses close down every day. And according to researches, only 9% of employees consider to increase their staff. 25% thinks to dismiss personnel and 66% does not plan to make any change.

Eleni*, 29, also a postgraduate on Economics, managed to break the circle of unemployment after she finished her studies at 24. She got a job through a friend of a friend of a friend…: 550 euro gross per month, working hours 9 am – 7 pm, six days per week.